Scottie Scheffler's Dominant Performance at The Open: 4 Things You Need to Know
Scottie Scheffler won the fourth and final major of the 2025 golf season, cruising to a four-stroke victory over Harris English at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush on July 20. It was Scheffler's second major of the season and fourth of his career, putting the 29-year-old American in elite company.
After a three-under 68 that had him tied for sixth following the first round, Scheffler grabbed the outright lead in round two with a seven-under 64, holding a one-stroke lead over Matt Fitzpatrick. He stretched his lead to four strokes after the third round and led by as many as seven shots at one point in the final round. He earned $3.1 million in prize money.
Scheffler's victory cemented his status as the undisputed best golfer in the world. It also capped off an interesting week as the 17-time PGA Tour winner opened the pre-tournament press conference with some unique insight and reflections on winning and his legacy outside of golf.
Unprecedented Championship Victories
Scheffler has a knack for rising to the occasion in big moments and nowhere is that more evident than in major championships. Before the 2025 Open Championship, he and Seve Ballesteros were the only golfers in the modern era with winning margins of at least three shots in their first three major championship victories. He is now in a class all by himself, having won his fourth major championship at Royal Portrush by four shots. Scheffler won the Masters in 2022 and 2024 by three and four shots, respectively, and claimed the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow by five strokes.
Not surprisingly, Scheffler was first in the Official World Golf Rankings after The Open Championship. He was also first in the FedEx Cup standings. It was his fourth victory of the season and 17th of his career. He had 13 top-10 finishes in 16 events and had finished no worse than tied for eighth in his last 11 starts.
The Fleeting Feeling of Accomplishment
Whereas many all-time great athletes, like Michael Jordan and Tom Brady, prioritized greatness over everything else, Scheffler said before The Open that he doesn't find true fulfillment in winning. It was a somewhat strange sentiment from someone who has been the unquestioned best player in the world for the better part of three years.
"Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about it because I've literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport," said Scheffler, speaking to the press. "To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling. To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I'm not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I'm not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world, because what's the point?"
Scheffler questioned his desire for success, noting the positive feeling of winning only lasts a couple of minutes before he's thinking about what's for dinner or the next tournament—life goes on. More than golf, his priorities are his responsibilities as a husband and father.
Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winning NFL quarterback, wrote about Scheffler's comments in his weekly newsletter, explaining that being a great athlete and family man doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, meanwhile, said Scheffler's comments spoke to him on a personal level.
Chasing the Career Grand Slam
By adding an Open Championship title to his resume, Scheffler now only needs to win the U.S. Open to complete the career grand slam. Moreover, he is one of only four players to win The Open, PGA Championship, and the Masters before turning 30, along with Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player. Interestingly, Scheffler can achieve the career grand slam on his 30th birthday, June 21, 2026, at Shinnecock Hills.
Scheffler missed the cut in two of his first three starts at the U.S. Open, but has finished top-10 in four of the last five years. He was tied for second at The Country Club in 2022 and finished third at The Los Angeles Country Club (North Course) in 2023. He finished tied for seventh at Oakmont in 2025.
Tiger Woods Comparisons
Naturally, Scheffler's recent dominance has drawn him comparisons to Woods, one of golf's all-time greats. He has won 10 consecutive tournaments in which he has led after three rounds. While this is far from Woods' record of 36 straight wins with a 54-hole lead, there is at least one stat that Scheffler shares with Woods.
Scheffler's win at Royal Portrush was 1,197 days after he won his first major at the Masters in 2022. That's the exact same number of days between Woods' first and fourth major championships. He still has a long way to go to catch Woods' 15 major titles, however.